Vending machine



' Aug. 14, 1956 Filed Aug. 22 1951 W. R. GUNDERSON VENDING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INENTORI ll/Mam ATTORNEY Aug: 4, 1956 w. R. GUNDERSON VENDING MACHINE Filed Aug. 22. 1951- 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent VENDING MACHINE Willard R. Gunderson, Dallas, Tex., assignor to The Frito Company, Dallas, Tex., a corporation of Texas Application August 22, 1951, Serial No. 243,047

7 Claims. (Cl. 221-81) The present invention relates to vending machines and more particularly to an improved form of vending machine adapted to dispense goods packaged in paper bags or the like.

It is a principal object of this invention to provide an improved form of vending machine adapted to contain a plurality of goods packaged in paper bags and to successively dispense a single bag package for each operation of a coin controlled mechanism or the like, the arrangement of the vending machine being such that large'numbers of bag packages may be conveniently loaded in the machine for vending.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a simplified form of bag package locking and release mechanism for storing a plurality of packages and successively releasing individual package units for delivery by gravity to a vending chute or opening.

The invention in its preferred form may comprise, a vertical rack unit having a plurality of spring finger grips for holding a plurality of bag packages. A perforated endless tape mounted on the vertical rack is adapted to be advanced in step fashion by reciprocation of a suitable latch device engaging the tapeperforations, the reciprocation of the latch being operated by a suitable coin controlled solenoid or the like. A cam follower element movable with the endless tape successively engages trigger elements of the spring finger gripsto release a single bag package for each step advancement of the perforated tape. A plurality of vertical rack units may bemounted in a single vending machine cabinet in such manner that a bag package released from a selected spring grip on a vertical rack will drop by gravity into a delivery chute.

It is yet another object of my invention to provide a novel form of spring grip and trigger release in association with a vertical rack bar for holding and releasing a bag package.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent'with reference to the following specification and drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective elevation of a vending machine cabinet partly broken away to show the installation of a vertical rack vending unit of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation partly in section of a vertical rack bag package vending unit;

Fig. 4 is rear elevation partly in section similar to Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an exploded detail of bag package spring grip and trigger; and

Fig. 6 is a cross-section on the line 6--6 of Fig. 3 to show the details of the reciprocating latch for the perforated endless tape.

Referring to Fig. l of the drawings, a vending cabinet 10 may be provided in its upper section with a plurality of vertical rack units of this invention, one unit of which may be seen in the broken away section in the upper left hand corner of the cabinet. A plurality of bag 2,758,751 Patented Aug. 14, 1956 released drops by gravity into the dispensing chute 12 where it may be reached by the consumer.

As shown by Figs. 2-4 and Fig. 6 of the drawings, a vertical rack bar 15 of channel form having a U-shaped cross-section is mounted vertically within the cabinet 10 and spaced from the front and back walls thereof to provide clearance for the bag packages supported on both sides of the rack bar. of spring grips 16 are provided to releasably secure a plurality of bag packages 11 on the vertical rack bar. It will be noted that the spring grips on one side of the rack bar are disposed in vertical offset or staggered relation to the spring grips on the other side of the rack bar. This feature is of considerable importance to facilitate the successive individual vending of a large number of bag packages from a single vertical rack as will be further described in detail.

mechanism. The solenoid 20 embodies a spring (not shown) to provide a normal non-energized position towhich the solenoid returns after each momentary ener-- gizati-on. The reciprocal action of the solenoid 20 thus obtained upon the operation of the coin controlled mechanism is connected by the connecting rod 21 to the latch' mechanism generally shown at 22 which upon reciprocationetiects the release of a bag package as will be described hereinafter.

With particular reference to Figs. 3, 4 and 6 of the drawings, the vertical rack channel member 15 is provided at its upper and lower ends, respectively, with bracket members 25 and 26 which rotatably support pulleys 27 and 28 on axles 29. Entrained on the pulleys 27 and 28 and passing within the U-shaped channel 15 is an endless tape 31 preferably of metal or the like and having a plurality of perforations 32 therethrough. The perforations 32 are spaced apart by a distance equivalent to the distance between a spring grip 16 on oneside of the vertical rack 15 and the spring grip next above on the other side of the vertical rack.

The reciprocal latch mechanism generally shown at 22 at the bottom of the vertical rack bar 15 is comprisedof abase member 30 secured to the base of the U-shaped channel 15 and having a vertical slot 30' in which .is

reciprocated the latch pin 33. The latch 33 is carried by the slide 34 that is slidably positioned between the guideways 35 and 36. The slide 34 and latch pin 33 are shown. at the bottom of their stroke in thenormal.

deenergized position of the solenoid 20. It-will be noted that. the latch pin 33 is engaged in a perforation 32561:; the tape 31 and is suitably bevelled at 40 so as to. cause automatic withdrawal of the pin from the tape perforation when the pin 33 and slide 34 reciprocate downward.

A spring element 41 normally urges the latch pin.31 to' the right towards the perforated tape tocause thevlatch pin to enter a tape perforation at the bottom of its reciprocal stroke as shown in Fig. 3 ofthedrawings.

The momentary energization of the solenoid is effective. to reciprocate the slide 34 and latchpin 33- upward a distance equivalent to the spacing of the perforations 32 and thus advance the endless tape 31 asingle step.

step-by-step advancement of the endless tape 31..

As shown in Fig. 2, a plurality.

As shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, the bag package grip 16 comprises a spring grip jaw 51 secured at 52 to a side wall surface of the vertical rack bar 15. A trigger element 50 is pivotally connected by a pin 53 and coil spring 54 on the spring jaw 51. The trigger element is adapted to extend through an aperture 55 of the side wall of the rack bar as more clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings. The shoulder 56 of the trigger element 50 engages the lower edge of the aperture 55 to lock the spring grip jaw 51 against the side wall of the rack bar with a bag package 11 therebetween. Upon advancement of the follower block 45 and cam surface 47 into engagement with the cam surface 59 of the trigger 50, the trigger is pivoted upward to disengage the shoulder 56 from the lower aperture wall and allow the spring grip jaw 51 to spring outward and release the bag package as should be readily understood.

In Fig. 4 of the drawings, the upper spring grips 16 are shown as released and the bags dispensed from the rack bar 15, while one bag is shown retained by a lower grip. This illustration is shown for convenience only. It will be understood, of course, that the lower bags are dispensed first, as the follower block 45 travels upwardly of the rack bar 15. When the follower block 45 is in its uppermost position, all of the trigger elements 50 have been actuated and all of the grip jaws 51 released, thus emptying the rack bar. In order to reload the rack bar, the latch pin 33 may be manually pulled outwardly against the compression of spring 41 to thereby disengage the pin from the apertures 32 in tape 31. The follower block may then bemoved downwardly to its lowermost position by rotating the tape counter-clockwise. Thereafter, the mouth of a bag may be inserted under each of the grip jaws 51 (preferably starting from the bottom and working upwardly) and the grips are then pushed inwardly to lock the trigger elements 50 and thus retain the bags on the rack bar 15 until the follower block again actuates the trigger elements to release the jaws.

It should be obvious that various modifications of details in the vending structure described above may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with a vertical rack bar for supporting a plurality of bag packages, a releasable spring grip finger comprising a spring grip jaw secured at one end to said bar and having a grip surface at its other end normally sprung outward from the bar, an aperture in said bar, a trigger release element pivoted to said jaw and extending through said aperture, said trigger element having a shoulder surface adapted to engage an edge of said aperture when said spring jaw is moved towards said rack bar and thus hold said spring jaw against said rack bar with a bag gripped therebetween, and means to engage said trigger to pivot said trigger and move the trigger shoulder surface away from engagement with the edge of said aperture and thus cause said grip jaw to spring outward away from the rack bar to release a bag package.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 further characterized in that said trigger engaging means comprises a follower element, said follower element being carried by an endless tape, and means for rotating said tape.

3. In combination with a rack for supporting a bag package, a releasable spring grip finger comprising a resilient spring grip jaw fixedly secured at one end to said rack and having a grip surface at its other end normally sprung outward from the rack, an aperture in said rack, trigger release means pivoted to said jaw and extending through said aperture, said trigger release means having a shoulder surface adapted to engage an edge of said aperture when said spring jaw is moved towards said rack and thus hold said spring jaw against said rack with a bag gripped therebetween, and means to engage said trigger release means to pivot and move the same away from engagement with said rack and thus cause said grip jaw by its own resilience to spring outward away from said rack to release a bag package.

4. In combination with a rack for supporting a plurality of bag packages, a plurality of spring grip fingers arranged in spaced positions on said rack and each adapted to engage and hold a bag package on said rack, said fingers comprising a spring grip jaw secured at one end to said rack and having a grip surface at its other end normally sprung outward from said rack, a trigger release means secured to each of said jaws, each of said trigger release means having a shoulder surface adapted to engage said rack when its respective spring jaw is moved towards said rack and thus hold said spring jaw against said rack with a bag gripped therebetween, a tape movable along said rack, a follower element carried by said tape, said follower element engaging a successive one of said trigger release means, and means for moving said tape.

5. In combination with a rack for supporting a plurality of bag packages, a plurality of spring grip fingers arranged in spaced positions on said rack and each adapted to engage and hold a bag package on said rack, said fingers comprising a spring grip jaw secured at one end to said rack and having a grip surface at its other end normally sprung outward from said rack, a trigger release means secured to each of said jaws, each of said trigger release means having a shoulder surface adapted to engage said rack when its respective spring jaw is moved towards said rack and thus hold said spring jaw against said rack with a bag gripped therebetween, a tape movable along said rack, a follower element carried by said tape, said follower element engaging a successive one of said trigger release means, and means for moving said tape, said tape moving means including a solenoid actuated mechanism for moving said tape in stepwise fashion.

6. A bag package vending machine comprising a rack bar of U-shaped cross-section, a plurality of spring grip fingers arranged in spaced position on each side wall of the vertical rack bar, and each adapted to engage and hold a bag package on said rack bar, each of said spring grip fingers comprising a spring grip jaw secured at one end to said rack bar and having a grip surface at its other end normally sprung outward from said rack bar, trigger release means secured to each of said jaws, each of said trigger release means having a shoulder surface adapted to engage said rack bar when said spring jaw is moved towards said rack bar and thus hold said spring jaw against said rack bar with a bag gripped therebetween, an endless tape movable along said rack bar between the side walls of said rack bar, a follower element carried by said tape, said follower element adapted to engage a successive one of said trigger release means to move the shoulder surface of the latter away from engagement with said rack bar and thus cause its respective grip jaw to spring outward away from said rack bar to release a bag package.

7. A bag package vending machine comprising a rack bar of U-shaped cross-section, a plurality of spring grip fingers arranged in spaced position on each side wall of said rack bar and each adapted to engage and hold a bag package on said rack bar, the fingers on one side wall being positioned in staggered relation to the fingers on the other side wall, each of said fingers comprising a spring grip jaw secured at one end to said rack bar and having a grip surface at its other end and normally sprung outward from said rack bar, trigger release means secured to each of said jaws, each trigger release means having a shoulder surface adapted to engage said rack bar when its respective spring jaw is moved towards said rack bar and thus hold said spring jaw against said rack bar with a bag gripped therebetween, an endless tape movable along said rack bar between said side walls, a follower element carried by said tape, said fol- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Bryce Jan. 15, 1895 Blair et a1. Sept. 4, 1928 6 Hoke Feb. 14, 1933 Antoine Jan. 2, 1934 Mahafiey July 16, 1940 Sargent et al. Oct. 22, 1940 Casey et a1. Nov. 1, 1949 Hall Nov. 28, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain of 1897 

